The way you look at the Cowboys’ loss to the Ravens can be somewhat dependent upon your point of view.

The optimist could say that Dallas got their run game open and Dez Bryant finally stepped up for some big plays making 13 catches and 2 TDs with one in the final seconds of the game that brought the team within 2 points, while the team came within a few missed opportunities from pulling off what would likely have been considered an upset.

The pessimist might say that the Cowboys had two solid opportunities to win the game that they blew. One where Dez Bryant let a perfectly thrown pass for a 2 point conversion that would have sent the game into overtime slip through his hands and supersedes the fact that he had a big game. The second being a missed field goal after the Cowboys recovered an onside kick and drove into field goal range where Dan Bailey pushed the kick just wide left from 51 yards out. This on top of the fact that the team also lost starting running back DeMarco Murray to what has been called a foot sprain that will keep him out this next Sunday.

So which is the best way to look at this? Probably from both points of views. The Cowboys played a team that is likely bound for the playoffs very strong, and almost pulled it off. The team bounced back and played well after the Bears embarrassed them before the BYE week. They were able to get their O-line to open up the run game for each back that they put into the game and they played a physical game throughout, as did the defense. Dez Bryant was able to make some big plays and sustained that play through most of the game. Probably most importantly they team achieved a semblance of balance on offense that started to work for them.

However, it cannot be ignored that the team ended up with another loss late in the game where they just didn’t execute, and every time the team seems to show flashes, they continuously seem to trip over themselves in the end.

Jerry Jones has said that the Cowboys can still compete for a championship this season, and I won’t fault the owner/GM for his optimism, because this early in the season anything is possible. With the problems of consistency, penalties, and the clock management issues that seem to have that has to remain a bit of a stretch, though the team is not eliminated from the playoffs by any means.

Perhaps Jerry’s win now mantra is part of the problem. This is a young team despite the veteran stalwarts, and is still learning to come together as one unit.